Agent to the Stars

The space-faring Yherajk have come to Earth to meet us and to begin humanity's first interstellar friendship. There's just one problem: They're hideously ugly and they smell like rotting fish. So getting humanity's trust is a challenge. The Yherajk need someone who can help them close the deal. Enter Thomas Stein, who knows something about closing deals. He's one of Hollywood's hottest young agents.

Fuzzy Nation

In John Scalzi's re-imagining of H. Beam Piper's 1962 sci-fi classic Little Fuzzy, written with the full cooperation of the Piper Estate, Jack Holloway works alone for reasons he doesnt care to talk about. Hundreds of miles from ZaraCorps headquarters on planet, 178 light-years from the corporations headquarters on Earth, Jack is content as an independent contractor, prospecting and surveying at his own pace. As for his past, thats not up for discussion.

Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the facts that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces; (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations; and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Lock In (Narrated by Wil Wheaton)

Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever, and headaches. But for the unlucky one percent - and nearly five million souls in the United States alone - the disease causes "Lock In": Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge.

The Collapsing Empire: The Interdependency, Book 1

Our universe is ruled by physics, and faster-than-light travel is not possible - until the discovery of The Flow, an extradimensional field we can access at certain points in space-time that transports us to other worlds, around other stars. Humanity flows away from Earth, into space, and in time forgets our home world and creates a new empire, the Interdependency, whose ethos requires that no one human outpost can survive without the others. It's a hedge against interstellar war - and a system of control for the rulers of the empire.

Old Man's War

John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First, he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined the army. The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce - and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So, we fight, to defend Earth and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding.

We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

Miniatures: The Very Short Fiction of John Scalzi

The ex-planet Pluto has a few choice words about being thrown out of the solar system. A listing of alternate histories tells you all the various ways Hitler has died. A lawyer sues an interplanetary union for dangerous working conditions. And four artificial intelligences explain, in increasingly worrying detail, how they plan not to destroy humanity. Welcome to Miniatures: The Very Short Fiction of John Scalzi.

The God Engines

Captain Ean Tephe is a man of faith, whose allegiance to his lord and to his ship is uncontested. The Bishopry Militant knows this — and so, when it needs a ship and crew to undertake a secret, sacred mission to a hidden land, Tephe is the captain to whom the task is given....

The Dispatcher

Zachary Quinto - best known for his role as the Nimoy-approved Spock in the recent Star Trek reboot and the menacing, power-stealing serial killer, Sylar, in Heroes - brings his well-earned sci-fi credentials and simmering intensity to this audio-exclusive novella from master storyteller John Scalzi. One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone - 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don't know.

Off to Be the Wizard

It's a simple story. Boy finds proof that reality is a computer program. Boy uses program to manipulate time and space. Boy gets in trouble. Boy flees back in time to Medieval England to live as a wizard while he tries to think of a way to fix things. Boy gets in more trouble. Oh, and boy meets girl at some point.

Jim &#34;The Impatient&#34; says:"IT WOULD BE IDYLLIC, IF NOT FOR THE CORPSES"

Run Program

What's worse than a child with a magnifying glass, a garden full of ants, and a brilliant mind full of mischief? Try Al, a well-meaning but impish artificial intelligence with the mind of a six-year-old and a penchant for tantrums. Hope Takeda, a lab assistant charged with educating and socializing Al, soon discovers that day care is a lot more difficult when your kid is an evolving and easily frightened A.I.

Columbus Day: Expeditionary Force, Book 1

The Ruhar hit us on Columbus Day. There we were, innocently drifting along the cosmos on our little blue marble, like the Native Americans in 1492. Over the horizon came ships of a technologically advanced, aggressive culture, and BAM! There went the good old days, when humans got killed only by each other. So, Columbus Day. It fits. When the morning sky twinkled again, this time with Kristang starships jumping in to hammer the Ruhar, we thought we were saved.

In Rip-Off!, 13 of today’s best and most honored writers of speculative fiction face a challenge even they would be hard-pressed to conceive: Pick your favorite opening line from a classic piece of fiction (or even non-fiction) - then use it as the first sentence of an entirely original short story.

Armada: A Novel

It's just another day of high school for Zack Lightman. He's daydreaming through another boring math class, with just one more month to go until graduation and freedom - if he can make it that long without getting suspended again. Then he glances out his classroom window and spots the flying saucer.

Master of Formalities

Even when finding oneself engaged in interstellar war, good form must be observed. Our story is set thousands of years after the Terran Exodus, where two powerful, planet-dominating families - the elegant House Jakabitus and the less refined Hahn Empire - have reached a critical point in their generations-long war. Master Hennik, the Hahn ruler's only son, has been captured, and the disposition of his internment may represent a last and welcome chance for peace.

Publisher's Summary

A human diplomat creates an interstellar incident when he kills an alien diplomat in a most unusual way. To avoid war, Earth's government must find an equally unusual object: A type of sheep ("The Android's Dream"), used in the alien race's coronation ceremony.

To find the sheep, the government turns to Harry Creek, ex-cop, war hero and hacker extraordinaire, who with the help of Brian Javna, a childhood friend turned artificial intelligence, scours the earth looking for the rare creature. And they find it, in the unknowing form of Robin Baker, pet store owner, whose genes contain traces of the sheep DNA. But there are others with plans for the sheep as well: Mercenaries employed by the military. Adherents of a secret religion based on the writings of a 21st century science-fiction author. And alien races, eager to start a revolution on their home world and a war on Earth.

To keep our planet from being enslaved, Harry will have to pull off the greatest diplomatic coup in history, a grand gambit that will take him from the halls of power to the lava-strewn battlefields of alien worlds. There's only one chance to get it right, to save the life of Robin Baker - and to protect the future of humanity.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first chapter is hands-down the funniest piece of sci-fi I have ever read. I agree with some critics that claim John Scalzi borrows some of his content from other great writers. Nonetheless, he does give proper homage to history (as in naming the sheep breed Android's Dream). Moreover and more importantly, his writing contains plenty of original thinking.

What's your opinion on fart jokes? It's going to influence your perception of this book a lot. This book is definitely not for you if you're looking for serious literature, or really anything deeper than a beach read, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It's not trying to be deep, it's trying to be fun.

This book is funny in places, crude in places, and generally fast-paced. There's no character development to speak of, the story doesn't really go anywhere unexpected, and you have to wade through a lot of "weird for the sake of weird." Wil Wheaton does a pretty good job narrating.

It's kind of the potato chip of books. A little bit is enjoyable, but you wouldn't want to base your entire diet on them.

I love this book, it was a great listen. Wil Wheaton did a great job as the narrator. I found myself laughing out load. I haven't enjoyed Sci-Fi like this since Heinlein. I will look for other books by this author.

Wil Wheaton does a wonderful job reading The Android's Dream - a dark, cynical, absolutely hilarious novel of interstellar politics and AI love on the servers over at the Church of the Evolved Lamb. More like this, please.

This is not Agent to The Stars or Fuzzy Nation. It is not terrible, but if you are thinking you are going to get as funny or as good as the above mentioned then, sorry No.

In comparing Scalzi to Scalzi, I was a bit disappointed. At times I forget I was listening to Scalzi and thought I was Listening to Nora Roberts. This really gets bogged down in the details. The plot is fairly complicated and not in a good way. Warning to all, chapter six has a high Ick factor. I am talking sex with animals.

I did like Robin, she was a funny character. I liked the bowling shoes. I also liked the satire about L. Ron Hubbard.

Wil Wheaton was good, although at the beginning of the book he sounded a little tired. He might have been arguing with Sheldon all night. Will WHHHeeedon!

i bought this audiobook because i absolutely enjoyed "Agent to the Stars" by same author and narrator and i did not regret that decision for a moment.

It's like if Vonnegut, Gaiman and Pratchett had a child and dropped him on his head a few times, not forceful enough to cause any major damage, but just enough to make even fart jokes compelling and fitting, and i'm really not a huge fan of lowbrow humor.

The novel is delightfully entertaining, plot is well woven, fast paced and action-packed and full of sharp laugh-out-loud humor.

Just like in "Agent to the Stars", Wil Wheaton does a wonderful job reading "The Android's Dream". He makes the characters come alive as you would expect them to be.

Wil Wheaton and John Scalzi were made for each other. No, not that way, you twisted people, but artistically.

I am a fan of Mr. Scalzi's works, with the occasional misgiving over the frequency of profanity; I would not hand a Scalzi work to a child, but a teenager I would have less issues. He has excellent pacing, his stories gleefully dance down a plotline with the sporadic hard twists and turns, and humor abounds even while a serious story is laid down.

I have now heard three of Scalzi's works narrated by Mr. Wheaton, and his voice fits the tone of the books like that oft mentioned glove. So perfect is the match between authorial voice and narrated voice, I find myself hearing Wheaton's delivery even while reading Scalzi's Whatever blog. Scary, eh?

I've listened to this one twice now. I think I'll have a third helping.

Ok, I don't give out 5's across the board very easily. I mean, I'm not the most stingy 5-er out there, but it does take a pretty good experience to get straight 5's out of me. This book earned every one of them!

I had no idea what to expect with this book. It was a Daily Deal, and that is the only reason that I bought it. It had a fairly intriguing teaser, and so I though I would take a chance on it. It sat in my library for quite some time, and I finally decided to give it a whirl. I could not be more surprised and pleased.

This book goes to show that, if the writing is good, any good vs. evil story can be a masterpiece... regardless of how silly and outlandish the actual players and setting of the story are! The plot line of this book is ridiculous. It has a bit of sci-fi, and a bit of adventure, but for me it all comes back to simply amazing writing. The characters are so great, and their interaction is so believable and engrossing. I never felt as if the author was pushing too hard, or stretching too far. I really enjoyed this book.

The narrator could not have been better, either. Perfect pacing, perfect intonation, and tempo. All around a fantastic experience!

Since listening to Agent to the Stars and Fuzzy Nation I have become addicted to Scalzi's humorous and fast paced style. The scenarios are pretty outlandish but he makes them all work. It is science fiction, in the end, and the there are no rules. Wil Wheaton reader and John Scalzi writer are a perfect duo. The Android's Dream and the others I've listened to are pure entertainment. I fully intend to listen to every book John Scalzi writes.

Scalzi is a master of the comedic sci-fi novel. He's right up there with Terry Pratchett. I can highly recommend this book as a great entry to his work. You'll love it.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Norma Miles

9/5/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"No sleeping time allowed"

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to anyone with a good sense of humour who enjoys lighthearted, silly stories with lots of dialogue

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Android's Dream?

When Archie was eaten by his new found friend

What does Wil Wheaton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Wil Wheaton is superb. He seems to read so effortlessly, taking the story forward at a fast pace perfectly timed for the story. Without inflicting a mocking tone, he is able to capture the full craziness of what he is reading. I enjoy John Scalzi on the written page but when he is read allowed by Mr.Wheaton, the full hilarity can bubble out - and I get to listen as I do my chores

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Lots of smiles along the way.

Any additional comments?

A fun book I would certainly recommend but not my first choice in the listings of this writer.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

jonathan healy

1/30/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great"

fantastic book to listen to with great characters and some really good twists . really enjoyed it the protagonist was a character that was very likable, was sad to get to the end of it.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Shopper

7/18/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great Performance; mediocre story"

Would you try another book written by John Scalzi or narrated by Wil Wheaton?

Yes I would but not because of this book. I did really enjoy reading Red Shirts

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Meh, I wasn't really invested in the characters.

Which character – as performed by Wil Wheaton – was your favourite?

Lars-win-Getag or generally the Nidu.

Do you think The Android's Dream needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, I don't think I would read it if there was

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed listening to Wil Wheaton's perfomance but I didn't really care for the story too much. There were funny parts but not to the level of Douglas Adams.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Robert

Putney, United Kingdom

4/23/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not bad but there's so much better out there"

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. Stick with Phillip K Dick if you like this style. His stuff is SO much better.

Would you be willing to try another book from John Scalzi? Why or why not?

Possibly. He was funny at times, the character interactions were ok (better than some of the trash I've been listening to) and his story had potential. It was just a little over the top.

What aspect of Wil Wheaton’s performance might you have changed?

Nothing that I can remember.

Do you think The Android's Dream needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yeah. It left things open for future developments. There definitely could be a follow, telling of the aftermath of what happens next and earth relation with the other planets.

Any additional comments?

No

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

David T-Rex

8/3/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"The west wing meets babalon 5"

An odd combination but works, there are some really great laugh out loud moments. Will Wheaton does a great job as narrator. The is a lot of "said <name, said <name>" but its not enough to distract from the plot.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

kingsys

2/18/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"good"

it was enjoyable but something about it felt off whilst listening.... I would recommend it though

3 of 5 people found this review helpful

J Breckenridge

8/10/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Fart-tastic!!!"

Would you consider the audio edition of The Android's Dream to be better than the print version?

I have not read the book, but the audio book is fantastic! Will does a great job of bringing the book alive.

What other book might you compare The Android's Dream to, and why?

As for books Im not sure, but it did remind me very much of the Fifth Element film in many ways.

Have you listened to any of Wil Wheaton’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Will Wheaton does a fantastic job with this book. Very good with the difficult pronunciation of weird names and races.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Very much a laugh out loud book. Some really funny parts that were always making me smile, but some there were some really great laugh out loud moments! Plenty of action and constantly reminded me of the fifth element.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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